While many teams are working to retool their offenses prior to the start of the 2016 high school football season, Smyrna has major weapons back.

Senior quarterback John Turner and senior tailback Casey Perkins are two of the top returning offensive players in the area as the Bulldogs attempt to make more noise in Region 2-6A this season.

"We can accomplish a lot (with this offense)," said Perkins, who rushed for 1,434 yards on 224 carries and scored 24 touchdowns as the Bulldogs advanced to the 6A quarterfinals.

"We want to start early in the game and dominate as much as we can and hold the lead. We have a lot of linemen coming back, and that's a big part of our offense."

Turner, an MTSU commitment, also had a breakout season in 2015, particularly in the state playoffs. He completed 146 of 243 passes for 2,045 yards and 13 touchdowns with just four interceptions. In three playoff games he passed for 681 yards and seven TDs (four against Jefferson County and three against Science Hill).

"We all know what to do, it's just a matter of keeping our composure and not turning the ball over," said Turner, a three-year starter. "We have five senior linemen up front."

Most everyone else who had an impact on the Bulldog offense graduated, including Turner's favorite target, Ikenna Okeke, who had more than 800 yards receiving. That means new faces will be key to the Smyrna offense.

Among those is Blake Watkins, who shined as a freshman last year. He can play both in the slot and at running back. Others include Percy Whittaker (who didn't play last year), Mason Cunningham and Tevin Shipp.

"We're so far advanced offensively right now than we were when we put the system in during (Turner's) sophomore year," Smyrna coach Matt Williams said. "Having him and Casey back, with his combination of size and speed, is big for us.

"Watkins is a special athlete and (Whittaker) has great hands. We have some athletes there .They're going to have to gain experience on the run. It's going well so far."

Turner has done his part in the offseason, working on key areas of his game.

"I've gotten stronger, but I've got to release quicker," he said. "I've improved on that since last year. I've been to a few camps. I've also got my speed up. Last year I was around 4.9-5 (in the 40-yard dash) and now I'm down to 4.6-4.74."

With his backfield mate already having committed to MTSU, Perkins is in the process of weighing his options as well.

"I've given it a little thought, but not too much," he said. "But for now, I have a team I have to cater to. I have to help grow the team first. After the season I can think about the next step."

As for Turner, having already committed will free him up to concentrate solely on his senior season.

"I won't have the stress of having to go somewhere every weekend," Turner said. "It's a relief knowing where I'm going."